The Link between Health, Mindfulness and Self-Compassion

Self-criticism does more than make us feel badly. It is actually bad for our health. Self-Criticism activates the nervous threat response system stimulating the hormones designed to help us deal with danger through a ‘fight, fight or freeze’. When our threat response system is activated day after day, year after year, it depletes our reserves making us more reactive, stressed and burned out.

Self-Compassion on the other hand activates the soothing system designed to open our hearts and make us feel safe and connected.

Self-Compassion is good for our health on all levels. There is a large and growing research base supporting the health and wellness benefits of cultivating more ‘self-compassion’.

It is strongly associated with fewer negative states like depression, anxiety, stress, shame and negative body image while at the same time strongly linked to more positive states like happiness,optimism, self-care, life and relationship satisfaction.

People with a high degree of self-compassion tend to

be more caring and supportive in romantic relationships

be more likely to compromise in relationship conflicts

be more compassionate toward others

be more accountable for their actions

be more likely to apologize if they’ve offended someone

be more committed to high personal standards, but don’t beat themselves up when they fail

be less afraid of failure and more likely to try again and to persist in their efforts after failing

be more engaged in healthy behaviours like exercise, eating well, drinking less and going to the doctor more regularly

be more likely to access medical services more quickly for health problems than people with a low-level of self-compassion.

remind themselves that many people have health problems and that they do not deserve to be sick.

feel less depressed about their health problems than people with a low level of self-compassion.

deal with stress more effectively

less stress-induced inflammation

experience less burnout, stress and vicarious trauma as caregivers and front line workers.

Self-compassion is a skill and a resource. Anyone can learn.
Join us for our next scheduled Mindful Self-Compassion Skills Training program